What DeSean wants

[Leonard Tose]

This is the first I'm seeing a published figure of what DeSean is looking for, and I have to say, it seems pretty reasonable. He's looking for Holmes money, not Fitzgerald. That's a good sign, IMO.

No doubt the source is Rosenhaus. I have to believe that frustration is growing in Jackson's camp that the deal isn't done yet, hence the leak.

DeSean Takes Out Insurance Policy

DeSean Jackson said that he took a multi-million dollar insurance policy out on himself in early August during his training camp holdout. The details were finalized last week just before the season opener at St. Louis, according to the Eagles wide receiver.

Asked Thursday how much the policy was worth Jackson said he didn't know the exact figure, only that the value was in the "millions."

Jackson is slated to earn approximately $600,000 this season in the final year of the four-year contract he signed as a rookie in 2008. Jackson is widely considered to have outperformed that deal. He and the Eagles have yet to agree on an extension, however, which is why the 24-year-old felt the need to protect his interests in case of injury.

Many athletes take permanent-disability insurance policies out on themselves. A good number of high-profile college football players, for instance, take out policies before their senior seasons to protect potential future earnings.

Jackson said the length of his policy was for one year. His contract expires in early March when the NFL calendar year flips. Speculation has it that Jackson and the Eagles will re-work his contract sometime within the next month or so, but the team has the option to place a one-year franchise tag on the receiver following this season.

For many reasons, however, both sides would likely prefer a multi-year deal. There has been no movement in negotiations, according to league sources. Jackson is seeking a contract similar to the five-year, $45 million deal Santonio Holmes received from the N.Y. Jets in July, a source close to the receiver said.

Drew Rosenhaus represents Jackson. A message left with the agent was not immediately returned on Thursday.

Jackson, unhappy with his deal, sat out the first 11 days of camp. He ended his holdout on Aug. 8, a day before he was to lose a vested year toward free agency. Since reporting to Lehigh University, Jackson has yet to miss a practice. There was some belief that he wouldn't give a full effort when the season began, but Sunday's six-catch, 102-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Rams dispelled that notion.

An injury, of course, is always just a play away in the NFL. Jackson has suffered two concussions over the last two seasons, causing him to miss two games. Last season against Atlanta, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound receiver endured a brutal hit from Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson that knocked him up unconscious.

The Eagles travel to Atlanta to face Robinson and the Falcons for a primetime matchup this Sunday.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/i...ce-policy.html

[sfphillyfan]

Pay him!

[FairOaks]

I can't imagine the Eagles want to pay him Holmes money either. Maybe those numbers which were rumored on the other board last week were the Eagles offer -- not horribly far off, but less.

It's a tough call. He is not your typical #1 receiver -- he's not a consistent go-to guy, but he does open up the field for others most of the time, and he's scary with the ball. He can return punts with the best of them. That all means you probably need to decently pay some other receivers, which may be hard if Jackson is making an extreme amount of money.

I suspect that Holmes contract may have upset the balance some, and the Fitz contract (not long ago, Fitzgerald was at similar numbers to Holmes now). Lots of other very good receivers are playing for quite a bit less. But, he'd probably get an off like that on the free market. Eagles could hold firm to a most-but-not-all-what-Rosenhaus wants offer, then franchise/transition tag him in the offseason. Seems like they could compromise between this and the offer talked about on the other board.

[BIGPHILLY]

I don't believe this report. That's chump change.

[Leonard Tose]

I can't imagine the Eagles want to pay him Holmes money either. Maybe those numbers which were rumored on the other board last week were the Eagles offer -- not horribly far off, but less.

It's a tough call. He is not your typical #1 receiver -- he's not a consistent go-to guy, but he does open up the field for others most of the time, and he's scary with the ball. He can return punts with the best of them. That all means you probably need to decently pay some other receivers, which may be hard if Jackson is making an extreme amount of money.

I suspect that Holmes contract may have upset the balance some, and the Fitz contract (not long ago, Fitzgerald was at similar numbers to Holmes now). Lots of other very good receivers are playing for quite a bit less. But, he'd probably get an off like that on the free market. Eagles could hold firm to a most-but-not-all-what-Rosenhaus wants offer, then franchise/transition tag him in the offseason. Seems like they could compromise between this and the offer talked about on the other board.

I would pay Holmes money in a second. Fitzgerald got $50 million GUARANTEED. Five years and 45 million, maybe 20 million or so guaranteed. Where do I sign up?

[Eagle60]

I think the longer the Birds wait, the more he will cost. If they want him, they damn well had better sign him soon. If he hits the open market Santanio Holms contract will be in the rear view mirror money wise.

[sfphillyfan]

Here's what I don't understand: aren't the Eagles worried that he'll get angry about this and refuse to sign with them if they wait till next year?

[Leonard Tose]

Here's what I don't understand: aren't the Eagles worried that he'll get angry about this and refuse to sign with them if they wait till next year?

I don't get it myself. I figured the reason they hadn't done a deal yet was because Jackson and Rosenhaus were looking for a deal in the Fitz neighborhood. If it's true he's looking for a Holmes deal, this should have been done a long time ago.

[BIGPHILLY]

Some thing is going on. They'll announce a deal out of leftfield. He's way too damn good and important.

[Vote for Kalas]

This tells us nothing about what actually matters in the extension i.e. the gauranteed money amount & clauses.

5 yrs/45M gives us some parameters, but the Eagles & Jackson could be way off in what is gauranteed and/or what clauses are included for health, production etc.

Everything is weighted pretty heavily in the team's favor for these extensions...they can franchise tag him 2 straight years after this one and do not really need to worry about him being upset because players have little recourse beyond holding out (losing money in fines) and trying to sway the fans/media against the team.

Plus the Eagles are stacked at WR (especially if they extend Smith) and obviously have already prepared this season if/when Jackson starts making noise again.

I would bet about anything I have the disagreement is on the gauranteed money & clauses. Rosendirtbag is probably floating this as pressure just like the Eagles signing Smith or floating the idea McCoy could be next in line for an extension....thats all speculation on my part, but we all know both sides do it and that is all part of a normal negotiation.

[ThoughtProcess]

Some thing is going on. They'll announce a deal out of leftfield. He's way too damn good and important.

I've wondered about the FO strategy in dealing with this issue. Part of me wants to think that no news is good news, and that something will indeed "come out of left field". But what if they plan to tag him in the coming offseason? He doesn't get the deal now. He would be forced to play out his current contract this season, and I doubt his value slips backwards. What if they want to tag him and move him in a deal? ugh.